Embossing device



Oct. 27, 1964 s. J. RUDY 3,154,010

EMBOSSING DEVICE Filed April 16, 1962 United States Patent 3,154,010 EMBOSSING DEVICE Stephen J. Rudy, 2627 Broadway Ave., Evanston, Ill. Filed Apr. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 187,640 Claims. (Cl. 1013) This invention relates to a hand-operated embossing device of the type for embossing designs in paper, and more particularly, to such a device which will color the raised surface of the embossed indicia simultaneously with embossing action.

The device of the invention is especially well suited for use as a hand-operated embossing seal, of the notarial, or corporate type.

It has become a common practice to copy, as by photostating, certain legal papers for record keeping, public or otherwise. If an embossed seal is on a paper to be so recorded, a dark smudge is often made on the embossment to darken the raised indicia thereof, so that the seal will be discernible in the photostat.

The device of the invention may be used not only for embossing a seal upon a paper, but will simultaneously color, as by contact inking, the raised surface of the seal indicia. The subject device will thus provide an embossed seal suitable for recording, as by photostating, and which will be made without the need for further operations after the embossing step. Furthermore, the embossed and colored seal thus produced, will present a neat appearance, which will enhance, rather than detract from the appearance of the document.

The main object of this invention is to provide a handoperated embossing device for producing an embossed design upon paper, which design may be readily discernible when the paper is reproduced, as by photostating.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a hand-operated embossing device which will color the raised surface of embossed indicia simultaneously with embossing action.

A further object is to provide a hand-operated embossing device for making a colored notarial or corporate seal on a document, which seal will present a neat appearance thus enhancing the appearance of the document.

These and further objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a hand-operated embossing device embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an embossed and colored seal as made by the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section view taken through a portion of the device of FIG. 1 and showing the position of various parts before embossing and inking of a piece of paper; and

FIG. 4 is the same but showing the position of said parts in final stage of embossing and inking.

Referring now to the drawing, numeral 6 identifies a hand-operated embossing device which includes a frame means 8, which most advantageously is made of a sheet metal stamping, bent to form a U-shape in end projection, with the joining portion being at the lower end. The frame means is further formed to provide a jaw portion having an upper jaw 10 and a lower jaw 12 in opposition thereto. A hand gripping portion 14 is provided along the lower portion of the frame means. A lever or handle means 16 is pivotally supported at one end in the upper jaw 10, said handle having a cam means (not shown) arranged to cause vertical reciprocal movement of a pad holding assemblage 18, which is supported by a spring lever 20 afiixed at one end to the frame means 8.

The pad holding assemblage 18 includes a disc-like cup 22 in which is arranged an ink holding pad 24. The material of the ink holding pad, may be any of the types generally used in marking devices having so-called self-inking stamp pads, i.e., cloth, sponge rubber, or it may be a porous resilient plastic which is impregnated with a long lasting ink. The latter type of material has been more recently introduced upon the market for use in self-inking stamp pads. A complete disclosure of such a selfinking material will be found in the patent of H. R. Leeds, 2,777,824, issued on January 15, 1957. A female die plate 26 is affixed to the cup 22, which die plate has an assortment of perforations or openings 28, arranged to provide a given seal indicia pattern 29, such as illustrated in FIG. 2. One or more holes 30 may be provided in the cup 22 for replenishing the ink supply of pad 24.

A male die plate 32 is mounted upon the lower jaw 12, which plate has an assortment of projections 34, arranged to provide a raised indicia seal pattern similar to that made by the perforations of plate 26, which raised indicia slidingly fit in comparable perforations 28. The height of the raised indicia is at least equal to the thickness of the plate 26.

It will be seen that when a sheet of paper 36 is placed between the die plates 26 and 32 and the pad holding assemblage is moved downwardly to clamp the paper between the plates, the raised indicia 34 will force paper into the perforations 28, to create an embossed pattern in accordance with the design in the plates. The raised indicia 34, being of a height at least equal to the thickness of the plate 26, causes the upper extremity of the embossments on the paper, to contact the pad 24, and to thus be inked thereby (FIG. 4). The resulting seal is as shown in FIG. 2, namely, an embossed pattern having the indicia accented by inking.

While the pad holding assemblage 18 having the female embossing die plate 26, is shown as being movably mounted, it will be apparent that the assemblage 18 may be stationary, i.e., supported on the lower jaw 12, while the male die plate 26 may be movably mounted in like manner to that shown for moving the assemblage 18.

The foregoing description has been given in detail without thought of limitation since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hand operated embossing device including a frame means having opposed jaws and a lever means pivotally supported by said frame means, a combination of elements comprising a pad holding assemblage movable by said lever means, a pair of embossing plates arranged for cooperative embossing action when clamped upon a sheet of paper, a first of said plates mounted upon the pad holding assemblage and having openings defining a given indicia pattern, the second of said plates having projections defining a like indicia pattern adapted to fit within the openings of the first plate so that the clearance between any projection and the walls of an engaged opening is substantially equivalent to the thickness of the sheet of paper being embossed, and an inking pad arranged in the pad holding assemblage whereby the paper being embossed will be forced by the projections into engagement with the inking pad and be inked thereby.

2. In a hand operated embossing device according to claim 1, wherein said projections are of a height at least equal to the thickness of said first plate.

3. In a hand operated embossing device according to claim 1, wherein said paid is formed of a sponge rubber.

4. In. a hand operated embossing device according to claim 1, wherein said pad is formed of a porous resilient plastic.

5. In a hand operated embossing device including a frame means having opposed jaws and a lever means operatively supported by said frame means, a combination of elements comprising a pad holding assemblage, a pair of embossing plates arranged for cooperative embossing action when clamped upon a sheet of paper, a first of said plates mounted upon the pad holding assemblage and having openings defining a given indicia pattern, the second of said plates having projections defining a like indieia pattern adapted to fit within the openings of the first plate so that the clearance between any projection and the walls of the engaged opening will allow the paper to be embossed without rupture, and an inking pad arranged in the pad holding assemblage, said pad holding assemblage be ing arranged so that movement of the lever means will cause relative movement between said plates whereby the paper being embossed will be forced by the projections into engagement with the inking pad and be inked thereby. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 440,892 Folsom Nov. 18, 1890 677,835 Worthington July 2, 1901 1,255,368 Welter Feb. 5, 1918 1,522,653 Smoleroff Ian. 13, 1925 1,653,148 Callan Dec. 20, 1927 1,658,823 Willard Feb. 14, 1928 1,790,233 Fowler Jan. 27, 1931 2,102,787 Christenson Dec. 21, 1937 2,722,038 Freund Nov. 1, 1955 2,777,824 Leeds Jan. 15, 1957 3,009,415 Harvey Nov. 21, 1961 

1. IN A HAND OPERATED EMBOSSING DEVICE INCLUDING A FRAME MEANS HAVING OPPOSED JAWS AND A LEVER MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME MEANS, A COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS COMPRISING A PAD HOLDING ASSEMBLAGE MOVABLE BY SAID LEVER MEANS, A PAIR EMBOSSING PLATES ARRANGED FOR COOPERATIVE EMBOSSING ACTION WHEN CLAMPED UPON A SHEET OF PAPER, A FIRST OF SAID PLATES MOUNTED UPON THE PAD HOLDING ASSEMBLAGE AND HAVING OPENINGS DEFINING A GIVEN INDICIA PATTERN, THE SECOND OF SAID PLATES HAVING PROJECTIONS DEFINING A LIKE INDICIA PATTERN ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN THE OPENINGS OF THE FIRST PLATE SO THAT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN ANY PROJECTION AND THE WALLS OF AN ENGAGED OPENING IS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE THICKNESS OF THE SHEET OF PAPER BEING EMBOSSED, AND AN INKING PAD ARRANGED IN THE PAD HOLDING ASSEMBLAGE WHEREBY THE PAPER BEING EMBOSSED WILL BE FORCED BY PROJECTIONS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INKING PAD AND BE INKED THEREBY. 